Page 146 of The Thief
Each detail feels like another knife to the chest. Jason didn't just betray us; he was thorough about it. Professional.
"Where is he now?"
"Don't know. He disappeared about an hour ago, right around the time Trace's people started moving. But Freddie... there's more."
"What?"
"He's not just feeding Trace information. He's been actively sabotaging our operations. The warehouse raid that went wrong last month? The ambush that nearly killed Emmanuel? Jason fed them our plans."
Rage builds in my chest, cold and focused. How many good men have died because of Jason's betrayal? How many operations have failed? How many lives have been lost because someone we trusted was working for the enemy?
"Jer's dead because of him."
Dead because Jason decided money was more important than brotherhood.
"How long has this been going on?"
"Best we can figure, since October. Right around the time those payments started showing up in our traitor's account."
"Three months of systematic betrayal."
"Three months of getting our people killed while pretending to give a damn about any of us."
The weight of it hits me all at once. Every conversation we've had with Jason since October, every operation he's been part of, every moment of trust—all of it contaminated by his betrayal.
"Find him," I say.
"Already looking. Maverick's got teams checking his usual haunts while Emmanuel's watching his flat. But Freddie... when we catch him..."
"When we catch him, he's mine."
"Understood. But you should know, Henry wants to question him first; find out how much damage he's done, what other operations might be compromised."
"Fine. Henry can ask his questions. But after that, Jason belongs to me."
"Fair enough. What do you want us to do if we find him?"
"Take him alive if possible. But if he resists, if he tries to run or fight..."
"We put him down."
"No. You bring him to me. Alive or dead, I want to see his face when he realizes it's over."
I hang up and turn to face Tríona. She can see it in my face, the fury and betrayal and hurt.
"It's Jason, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry."
"He's been playing us for months. Getting good men killed, selling out operations, betraying everything Jer taught us."
"What are you going to do?"
"Find him. Make him pay."
"And then?"
